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2019 Catalog

Sedge

A diverse genus comprised of nearly 1000 species, most Carex originate in the moist habitats of temperate climates. Easily grown, our winning selections produce a variety of different colored leaves that promise to soften those sharp edges in your garden.

Applauded as one of the most distinctive native New Zealand grasses, this Carex spotlights a frosted fountain of gracefully cascading hairlike blades. The iridescent light green leaves twist their tips and gleam with pewter highlights, while staging a dense evergreen clump that spills over rocks, walls or a favored patio container.

For an especially fluid display, ‘Frosted Curls’ is best planted en masse on a slope where its trailing foliage appears to flow like water.

Endemic to Eurasia, Grassland Sedge’s deep green and lustrous, thin evergreen blades nimbly arch out from a clumping base, yielding inconspicuous brownish blooms held by lax wiry stems. Once established, the fast growing and versatile Carex divulsa can handle an array of situations: some drought, boggy areas, tree roots, sun or shade, and foot traffic, including the 4-legged kind. However, regular watering and a trim every 6 months will ensure the most vigorous growth. You can space it closely and mow for a turf-like effect, plant multiples as a luxurious ground cover in a small or large area or create a shady vignette with Arctostaphylos ‘Radiant’ and Festuca ‘Phil’s Silver’.

Nishiki means “brocade,” and it rightly describes the variegated blades of this superb selection, which comes to our country from Japan’s Gotemba Nursery. Forming a tidy, fountain-like mound, each slender leaf has a green central stripe emargined in radiant yellow.
Long-lived and durable, ‘Kaga Nishiki’ imparts bright accents to verdant broad-leafed perennials in the border.

This beautiful sedge offers the clearest yellow of any grass, plus a courtly, rounded form. Its compact size is ideal for the rock garden or mixed border. Best of all, the coloring becomes even more brilliant in partial shade.

Use it to enliven the woodland garden, or make a stunning statement by planting it with other golden foliage or with the contrasting leaves of Pulmonaria ‘Roy Davidson’. Bowles Golden will become a dense stand in only a few seasons.

Solidly colored in clear golden yellows, this Carex's graceful hummock will energize the hohum corners of your garden. With upright and arching, evergreen foliage, 'Knightshayes' requires moisture and bright shade to retain the gilt hues. Try establishing singly or en masse near ponds, streams, in a damp border or even in water, where its glowing accents and reflections are sure to beckon.

Reminiscent of Dianthus leaves and noticeably broader than the species, the eye-catching ¾ in. wide ultrablue blades grow in an upward arching manner. ‘Burton’s Blue’ produces small purple-black flowers atop its compelling, textural foundation, which makes an ideal, well-behaved evergreen addition to your rock garden or border. Staged in sweeps, as a walkway edging or tucked between boulders, this adaptable slow spreading selection abides full sun, part shade, drought, alkaline soil and even some salinity.

Introduced by Barry Yinger, long-lived ‘Ice Dance’ comes to us from the woodlands flanking Japan’s low-lying mountains. Dark emerald in color, the reflexed, leathery leaves are shiny and heightened by creamy white margins. This tidy evergreen ground cover is not invasive; its spreading rhizomes form a coarsely textured carpet that is somewhat drought tolerant once established.

Truly pint-sized in all aspects, this easily cultivated fine-hewn Sedge was introduced by Limerock Nursery of Pennsylvania. Thin, tapered bright green blades resemble palms as they radiate out from relaxed stem tips. Best enjoyed up close, the slow spreading ‘Little Midge’ is a superb option for containers, bog gardens, the rockery, small water features or a massed planting, which once established look likes a verdant rug. Dwarf Palm Sedge thrives with ample moisture, but is tolerant of drier conditions.

While the species inhabits moist North American woodlands and meadows, this uniquely textured sport, discovered in landscape architect Wolfgang Oehme’s garden, is somewhat drought tolerant once established. First a solid color, later enhanced with narrow yellow edges, the bright green blades are tapered and arranged horizontally like palm fronds on mostly upright triangular stems, knitting a tropical-styled, semideciduous ground cover.

Versatile and deer resistant, ‘Oehme’s slow spreading steadfast clump produces chocolate-colored spiky inflorescences, handles sun or shade, favors ample moisture, especially when its hot and looks just right along a walkway, streamside, or in a container.

Wish you had a plush green no-mow carpet that can tackle dry conditions and requires little care? This low growing, fine textured Sedge may be just what you’re looking for. Slowly spreading by reddish brown rhizomes, Carex pensylvanica makes a soft-looking fountain-like ground cover with delicate semievergreen blades plus white-edged purple and brown thimble-shaped inflorescences. Indigenous to the thickets and oak inhabited woodlands of eastern and central North America, Oak Sedge prospers in well-drained shady expanses, such as underneath deciduous trees and large perennials, or as a lawn substitute, where there’s not much foot traffic.

A cozy fusion of colors—from dark chocolate and cappuccino to reddish bronze—distinguish this fine textured evergreen sedge. Whether positioned in a border, cascading over a wall or embellishing a container, the long and narrow, arching foliage fashions a loosely arranged, graceful mound whose rich warm tones juxtapose green and golden leafage to great affect.

The exotic look of lucent orange foliage paints the garden’s verdant canvas nearly year round. Long, fine textured strands first emerge an olive-green and later transmute stunning golden brown, copper and orange highlights. With its upright and dense arching tuft, easy-to-grow Carex testacea is a hardy, drought tolerant grass that entices gardeners, but not deer, insisting on full sun to preserve the extraordinary hues, and good drainage.

Let this evergreen New Zealand native spill over a container’s edge or cozy up to Yucca ‘Garland’s Gold’, Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ and Euphorbia myrsinites.

Current Staff's Favorite Plant

Colorful Crocosmias, Be Awed by your August garden, Saturday Strolls!

Colorful Crocosmias!

Crocosmias pack a punch of late summer color as our gardens transition into autumn. Their clustered tubular flowers populate the ends of gracefully arching spikes, which emerge from handsome sword-like foliage. Ranging from yellow, peach and orange to fiery red, their prismatic shades look exceptional with white flowering perennials such as Phlox ‘David’, Selinum wallichianum and Aster ‘Bridal Veil’, as well as the blue blossoms of Aconitum, Agapanthus ‘Storm Cloud’ or Aster ‘Twilight’. For fun you could create a hot border, blending them with Kniphofia, Helenium, Salvia and even other Crocosmia, plus be sure to include some in your next bouquet. Commonly referred to as Montbretia and hardy to Zone 6, they appreciate, good drainage, adequate water and some shade in scorching summer sun. Please feel free to check out our extensive collection of Crocosmia cultivars in the perennial section of our online catalog.

YES, it’s possible to be in awe of your late August garden….

At this point in the season, some areas in our gardens may appear a tad worn or lackluster. If you haven’t already done so, you may wish to cut back a few tired looking perennials, such as the Nepetas or Geraniums, so you can enjoy a fresh flourish of growth plus more blooms. Adequate moisture and an additional application of compost will also ensure late summer vigor. Incorporating plants that provide a bounty of flowers and alluring leaves in August and September helps buoy our spirits, and hopefully even inspire a little awe as we approach fall. Though the plants featured in this newsletter either promote a bold statement or possess more refined aspects, they equally caught my eye and made me pause to take a closer look. Perhaps they’ll spark a wondrous moment for you as well. All of us Digging Dog plant wranglers wish you Happy Digging!